Latch device



Aug. 20, 1957 M. IVANHOE LATCH DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1954 MORRIS IVANHOEINVENTOR.

P. krill/42227771 United States Patent Ofiice 2,803,473 Patented Aug.20, 1957 LATCHDEVICE Morris Ivanhoe, Great Neck, N. Y. ApplicationJanuary 6, 1954, Serial No. 402,469

4 Claims; (Cl. 292'3G) This invention relates to a latching device andmore particularly a latching device adapted for use in conjunction witha storm window, screen or similar structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a latching device which maybe simply and efficiently manufactured on a large scale and which isparticularly adapted to lock a vertically movable sash-type storm windowor screen in a simple and effective manner.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a latching device ofone piece construction which is capable of being mounted in a channelshaped member usually employed to frame a storm or screen sash withoutthe use of any additional securing or mounting means, said latch servingto automatically lock the sash in closed position as it is loweredagainst the sill, and being readily opened and released therefrom bysimple manual manipulation.

ln'order'to accomplish these and other purposes, a suitably formed stripof resilient metal is provided having a portion adapted to be insertedin a channel shape formingo'ne of the rails of a sash frame and a catchportion adapted to spring into engagement with the sill of a windowframing member within which said sash is slideably mounted.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent fromthe description thereof contained in the annexed specifications, or willotherwise become obvious. It will be understood that the invention heredisclosed may be employed for other purposes to which the structurandarrangement are adapted.

Figure l is an elevational view of a fragment of a storm window sash andsill framing member showing the latch in locked position as viewed fromthe inside of the window;

Figure 2 is a cross-section of Figure 1 showing the sash. in raisedposition;

Figure 3 is a cross-'s'ectionof'Figure'l taken along line 33 thereof andshowing the sash in lowered position andthe latch in locked position;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a latch in accordance with the presentinvention.

In storm window construction it is customary to form an auxiliary framewhich is mounted upon and extends over the existing window frame of abuilding. Such auxlliary frame is formed with vertical side members orstiles which are connected along their top and bottom portions by meansof horizontal members comprised of a header and sill respectively, notcompletely shown. The storm sash which may carry a window pane or screenis usually comprised of a frame formed of extruded metal within which awindow pane or screen is mounted. The vertical stiles of the auxiliaryframe are provided with suitable channels within which the sash frame ismounted for vertical sliding movement.

Figure 1 illustrates a fragmentary portion of a storm sash and sill ofan auxiliary frame as hereinabove described showing so much thereof asis pertinent to the instant invention and whereon is mounted a latch inaccordance with the present invention. The latch is designated generallyby the numeral 10. As may be seen from said figure and Figure 3, thesill portion 11 of the auxiliary frame is comprised of an angle shapedmemher having a lateral portion 12 which is adapted to rest upon theupper surface of the usual building window sill 13. The laterallyextending portion 12 of auxiliary sill 11 is provided with a dependingportion 14 which overlies the face of the existing window frame. Thelateral portion 12 of the auxiliary sill extends inwardly beyond themain sill 13 and provides extension 15 against which the latch myconveniently operate.

As heretofore indicated, the sliding sash 16 is comprised of a framewhich may conveniently be formed of an extruded metal channel providinga suitable channel-shaped recess within which window pane 17 may beadvantageously mounted. Only a portion of the lower rail 18 of the sashframe is shown. It is formed of a substantially H-shaped channel member19 which is formed of a pair of substantially parallel walls connectedby a transverse web. The window pane 17 is mounted in the upper channelportion 20 of the rail. A laterally extending projection 21 is providedalong the upper edge of the channel and forms a suitable hand grip forraising or lowering the sash. It should be noted that the lower channel22 is provided with a longitudinally extending rib 23 on the interiorsurface of the walls thereof.

As shown in Figure 4 the latch 10 is formed of a single strip ofresilient sheet material such as spring steel, although it will beunderstood that other similarly suitable materials may be used for thispurpose. The metal strip is bent to form the shape indicated in saidfigure and is comprised of a body portion 24, the upper end of which isbent to form a laterally extending shoulder 25 which serves to offsetcap portion 26 from the body 24 of the latch. Cap portion 26 of thelatch is formed in substantially the shape of an inverted U and thuscomprises a channel having vertical side wall 27, horizontal top wall 28from which side wall or tongue 29 depends. Side wall 27 and tongue 29are advantageously divergent downwardly so that they may be slightlycompressed to: ward each other when the latch is mounted between parallel channel walls. The lower end of the body portion of the latch iswedge shaped and thus forms the catch portion of the latch. Said catchis formed by bending the lower end of the strip upon itself to thus formcam portion 30, the free end of which'is again bent to form inwardlyextending lip 31.

As may be seen from Figures 1 and 2 the latch is mounted within thelower portion of-rail 18 by forming a recess or slot 32 in one of thewalls thereof. Said slot 32 may be conveniently formed by cutting away aportion of the channel wall. The latch is then mounted in the channel bysimply inserting the cap portion thereof into the interior of thechannel until the lower or free edge of tongue 29 springs into positionover the longitudinally extending rib 23 formed on the interior wall ofthe channel. The cap portion of the latch being complementary inconfiguration to the interior of the channel fits snugly therein and islocked firmly in position as the tongue snaps into position over the ribby reason of the resiliency of the material from which the latch isformed. The side wall and tongue of the cap are compressed toward eachother and resiliently press against the interior walls of the channel.It should be noted that the free longitudinal edge of tongue 29 abutswith longitudinal rib 23 in the interior wall of the channel and thuslocks the latch in position preventing the withdrawal thereof by reasonof any pull applied to the catch portion and further prevents anylateral swinging movement of the latch. The latch is thus firmlyretained and locked in position.

In operation, as the window is lowered, cam portion 30 of the latchbears upon the edge of extension 15 'of the sill member and flexes thebody and shoulder portion of thelatchtoutwardly vuntil lip 31 clearsthelower surface of extension 15 sufficiently to spring thereunder. Asthe cap portion springs below extension 15, the sash is firmly lockedagainst the sillas may be more clearly seen in Figure 3. In order torelease the catch from its looking engagement with the sill it is merelynecessary to manually pull back upon the catch portion of the latchthereby flexing the latch outwardly and away from the extension until itclears the edge of the extension 15 whereupon the sash may be raised.

It will be noted that the extension 15 on the sill portion of the stormwindow frame is provided with an up- Wardly extending rim 33 which actsas a weather seal bv tween the sill and'lower sash rail l8. It hastherefore been found. advantageous to form shoulder 25 on the latch sothat the offset formed thereby is slightly less than the thickness ofthe channel wall and rim wall combined. As a result of this arrangement,when the latch is in closed position as illustrated in Figure 3, thebody portion thereof is flexed and bears resiliently against the 7surface of the rim edge thereby effectively drawing the channel formingthe lower rail of the sash against the upstanding rim to thus provide atighter and a more efficient weather seal between the sill and sashrail. Additionally, lip 31 is bent inwardly and at substantially rightangles with respect to cam portion of the latch. Thus the body of thelip extends at an angle with respect to the lower surface of the sill.This arrangement permits the lip to flex resiliently and thus draw andhold the sash rail toward the sill more tightly. It also permits thecatch portion of the latch to compensate for some variation in thicknessand position of the parts.

Although the instant invention is particularly adapted for use inconjunction with storm window and screen arrangements wherein many ofthe benefits of the arrangement may be realized, it will be understoodthat the latch may be utilized in conjunction with other arrangementswherein it is desired to provide a latching arrangement for relativelymovable parts. The simple economical and effective features of theinstant device may be readily realized in other types of structures andarrangements to which it may be suitably applied.

I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention.It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to thisembodiment and that many changes, additions and modifications can bemade in connection therewith without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vertically slidable storm sash mounted withinan auxiliary window frame, said auxiliary frame having an inwardlyextending sill and said sash having a channel-shaped lower rail providedwith a loni gitudinally extending rib along the interior surface of oneof the walls thereof, a latch adapted to releasably secure said sash inabutting relation with said sill, cornprising a strip of resilientmaterial formed to provide a body portion, a channel-shaped cap ofsubstantially complementary configuration to the interior wall of saidchannel-shaped rail, said cap being oifset from said body portion bymeans of a laterally extending shoulder, one of the walls of said capbeing formed to provide a depending tongue whereby the latch may besecured within said rail by inserting the cap into the interior of saidchannel so that said tongue springs resiliently over the rib and bearsagainst the interior wall of the channel, a catch formed on the otherextremity of said body portion adapted to spring into engagement withsaid sill.

2. In combination with a vertically slidable storm sash mounted withinan auxiliary window frame, said auxiliary frame having an inwardlyextending sill, said sash having a channel-shaped lower rail providedwith a longitudinally extending rib along the interior surface of one ofthe walls thereof, a latch adapted to releasably secure said sash inabutting relation with said sill, comprising a strip of resilientmaterial formed to provide a body portion, a channel-shaped cap ofsubstantially complementary configuration to the interior wall of saidchannel-shaped rail, said cap being offset from said body portion bymeans of a laterally extending shoulder, one of the walls of said capbeing formed to provide a depending tongue whereby the latch may besecured within said rail by inserting the cap into the interior of saidchannel so that said tongue springs resiliently over the rib and bearsagainst the interior wall of the channel and a catch formed on the otherextremity of said body portion extending at an acute angle with respectthereto, thereby forming a cam-surface adapted to bear against the edgeof said sill as said sash is lowered into abutment therewith thusflexing said body portion so that the catch may pass said sill andspring into engagement thereunder.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the free extremity of saidcatch is provided with an inwardly cx-.

the edge of said sill after said catch has sprung into en gagementtherewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS553,499 Fisher Jan. 21, 1896 831,803 Schindewolf Sept. 25, 19062,249,132

Haslam July 15, 1941

